What wedding dress would suit me?

If you are looking at this blog post you are probably getting married, so the first thing we would like to say to you is ‘Big Congratulations!’. Choosing a wedding dress can be quite a daunting task and it can feel pretty overwhelming, so I’d like to give you a few pointers in how to approach the situation to make it a little easier, so you can concentrate on the most important thing when choosing your wedding dress: having fun!

Do your research

Before you hit the bridal stores have a little look on the internet to see what styles of dresses there are on offer. There is a whole wealth of information on the World Wide Web which you can access for free, so take full advantage of Google image search and bridal discussion boards. Put pen to paper and write a list of how you want your whole day to be. Don’t limit this list to ‘the dress’, instead consider all factors such as the venue, where your photographs will be taken, the season the wedding day falls into and most importantly, your personality. By way of example, you could make a list with words such as: spring season, princess gown, fairy tale wedding, beach wedding, whimsical, grand, simple, vintage, etc. Once you have finished your list you will probably have a much better idea of not only what kind of dress you would like for the day, but also how it will fit in with your whole wedding experience.

Decide on the shape of wedding dress you would like

At the boutique we like to have a good spread of different shapes and styles of wedding dresses so brides can experiment with what style will suit them best. There are so many different styles to consider, so even if you are a bride who is particularly under confident with your figure, there simply MUST be a style which will suit you and will make you feel fabulous on the day. Our friendly team of in-house stylists are always on hand to offer you advice, and as we have seen so many different types of figures in wedding dresses, we know which will suit you.

Ivory ball gown wedding dress

Ball gown wedding dresses

Ball gown wedding dresses are the perfect way to achieve that fairy tale princess look. With their full, flared skirts and the usually fitted bodice suits most types of body shapes (but may be a bit too full on a small slim bride – see the next section if you are one of them!) and looks great on a bride who has a pear shaped figure. This style of dress has the advantage of hiding the bottom half of the figure if you are concerned about your thighs and/or rear and emphasises the waist dramatically.

This stunning wedding dress to the left is in typical ball gown style, made out of ivory taffeta with a fitted bodice and corset back and full netting under the skirts. The gorgeous silver embellishment breaks up the ivory colour perfectly on the front and the embellishment on the back around the corset adds interest for those nice over the shoulder photographs.

A-line wedding dress with feature lace back

A-line wedding dresses

An A-line dress is similar to the ball gown dress but is a little less full in the skirt. It falls naturally from the waist, again to emphasise the tiniest part of your body and falls in an “A” shape. If you are a small and slim bride a ball gown wedding dress may swamp you a little too much and an A-line wedding dress will probably suit you better. These dresses are great if you are petite but you still want to get that full fairy tale effect!

This gorgeous A-line wedding dress to the right is perfect for the bride who wants a more subtle fairy tale wedding. The vintage style lace feature at the back demands to be shown off, so an up-do hairstyle with this dress is a must!

Mermaid style champagne wedding dress with feature bow

Mermaid wedding dresses

These dresses are also known as fishtail wedding dresses and trumpet dresses. The fishtail dress typically has a figure hugging fitted bodice that goes right the way down to the mid-thigh and then flares out to give a kind of mermaid tail shape. These dresses look great on brides who have an hourglass figure and who are well balanced at the bust and the hips and who have a proportionately smaller waist. These dresses tend to fit very closely to the body and will give a true silhouette of your body shape, so if you are under confident with your shape, it’s probably best to stay away from this style.

This elegant mermaid wedding dress has a gorgeous feature bow at the front and darling little buttons down the back. It’s figure flattering rouching will ensure that you feel confident on your big day and will really show off your curves. This mermaid wedding dress is now in our sale for under £300!

Champagne one shoulder empire line wedding dress

Empire line wedding dresses

These wedding dresses a have a high waistline with the skirt starting from under the bust. They tend to be made out of a light, floaty fabric such as chiffon which falls very elegantly to the floor. This style of wedding dress looks great on most body shapes and is probably one of the most forgiving wedding dress shapes. They are fabulous if you are concerned about showing off your mid-section, providing you with a bit of extra coverage, and still giving you the ability to achieve that whimsical, elegant look. Empire line dresses make stunning maternity wedding dresses and they give that little bit of extra space around the waist if baby decides to grow dramatically in the run up to the wedding. These dresses have also been extremely popular at the boutique for a casual wedding or look gorgeous on a beach if you are having a tropical beach wedding. They also have the benefit of being floaty and light so you can keep cool and pack them in your suitcase easily.

This whimsical champagne coloured wedding dress pictured right is absolutely stunning and extremely flattering, even if you have some bits you wish to hide! The gorgeous lace bust has a few sparkles, so you will be able to twinkle and shine well into the night!

Celebrity column wedding dress in ivory

Column or sheath wedding dresses

These dresses are also known as sheath wedding dresses. This style of wedding dress runs virtually straight down from the shoulders to the floor with no flair and are typically narrow and slim. These are easy to wear and are great dresses if you are having a less formal wedding. These dresses look great on most shapes and also look fabulous on small brides because the shape tends to elongate a small bride perfectly.

The beauty of this column wedding dress pictured left lies in it’s simplicity and a really beautiful cut. The figure flattering rouching is perfect if you are concerned about your mid-section, and the feature frill partially obscures the side slit so you can add a touch of sexiness to your wedding dress whilst still remaining a classy bride!

When you are trying on wedding dresses make sure you don’t put the blinkers on and disregard all other styles other than the one you are determined to have, the trick is to try on many different shapes of dresses and to bring your friends and relatives with you and sit down and explain to them what kind of look you are going for at your wedding. When selecting which friends to bring with you remember that it is of absolutely no help if you bring a friend who is going to say that every dress looks wonderful on you! Instead, bring a friend who is going to give you a really honest opinion, and try not to take it too personally if there is a dress they do not like on you. After all, if they are a true friend, they are only trying to help you look fabulous on your big day!

Whichever style of dress you go for, just make sure that you love it and feel comfortable and confident in it. Remember that you will show your wedding photographs to all your family and friends and any potential grandchildren you may have in the future, so make the right choice for yourself so you can feel proud every time you look at the photos of wedding day.